Method for configuring contention free random access resource, user equipment and network device

ABSTRACT

A method and a device for configuring a contention free random access resource are provided. The method includes: transmitting target resource indication information to a user equipment based on a pre-defined mapping relationship; where the target resource indication information is used to determine a physical random access channel transmission occasion (RO) resource, the target resource indication information includes at least one of a physical random access channel (PRACH) mask index or an RO resource index, and the pre-defined mapping relationship includes a correspondence between a value range of the target resource indication information and the RO resource.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is continuation application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 17/039,121 filed on Sep. 30, 2020 which is continuationapplication of PCT International Application No. PCT/CN2019/080992 filedon Apr. 2, 2019, which claims a priority to Chinese Patent ApplicationNo. 201810301951.0 filed on Apr. 4, 2018, which are incorporated intheir entireties by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the technical filed of communications,and in particular to a method for configuring a contention free randomaccess resource, a user equipment and a network device.

BACKGROUND

In a long term evolution (Long Term Evolution, LTE) system, for acontention free random access procedure, a network device transmits, toa user equipment, information carrying a preamble index (preamble index)and a physical random access channel (Physical Random Access Channel,PRACH) mask index (mask index), to instruct the user equipment totransmit, on a PRACH resource indicated by the PRACH mask index, apreamble (preamble) corresponding to the preamble index, and the networkdevice generally transmits the information to the user equipment througha physical downlink control channel (Physical Downlink Control Channel,PDCCH) or radio resource control (Radio Resource Control, RRC)signaling.

In a new radio (New Radio, NR) system, multiple physical random accesschannel transmission occasions (PRACH transmission occasion, which alsomay be referred to as PRACH occasion) in a manner of frequency divisionmultiplex (Frequency Division Multiplex, FDM) may be configured by anetwork device at a time instance (time instance). In addition, in aPRACH resource configuration period, there may be multiple timeinstances. The time instance may be a duration needed for transmitting aPRACH resource, or it may be referred to as a time domain resourceposition used to transmit a PRACH resource. For ease of description, thePRACH transmission occasion is abbreviated as RO.

In addition, in the NR, there may be an association relationship betweenan RO resource and a synchronization signal block (Synchronizationsignal block, SSB, which may also be referred to as Synchronizationsignal/Physical broadcast signal block, SS/PBCH block), for example, anRO resource may be associated with multiple SSBs such as {⅛, ¼, ½, 1, 2,4, 8, 16} SSBs. For a contention free random access procedure, the ROresource may have an association relationship with a channel stateinformation-reference signal (Channel State Information-ReferenceSignals, CSI-RS). Moreover, in a case that the total number ofconfigured RO resources in a PRACH resource configuration period isgreater than or equal to the number of RO resources needed forcompleting SSB-RO (or CSI-RS-RO) mapping for two times, the SSB-RO (orCSI-RS-RO) mapping may be repeated on these RO resources. To facilitateunderstanding, the SSB or CSI-RS associated with the RO resource isreferred to as an associated object of the RO resource herein.

At present, in a PRACH resource configuration period, a relatively largenumber of bits need to be used by the network device so as to clearlyindicate each RO resource. For example, in a format of frequencydivision duplex (Frequency Division Duplex, FDD) in FR1 (FrequencyRange1), if there are 140 time instances in a PRACH resourceconfiguration period, and there are 8 RO resources at each time instancecorrespondingly, then 13 bits are needed to indicate 140*8 RO resources,3 bits are needed to indicate serial numbers of the RO resources, and 8bits are needed to indicate a PRACH mask index, so as to clearlyindicate each RO resource. In a format of time division duplex(ing)(Time Division Duplex(ing), TDD) in FR2 (Frequency Range2), if there are560 time instances in a PRACH resource configuration period, and thereare 8 RO resources at each time instance correspondingly, then 13 bitsare needed to indicate 560*8 RO resources, where 3 bits are used toindicate serial numbers of the RO resources, and 10 bits are needed toindicate a PRACH mask index, so as to clearly indicate each RO resource.

However, the carrying capacity of a PDCCH is limited, and enough bitsmay not be able to be provided to make a clear indication of each ROresource. On the other hand, in a case that the amount of RO resourcesneeded for a complete SSB-RO (or CSI-RS-RO) mapping is relatively smalland if the amount of allocated time instances is relatively large, thentens or even hundreds of repeated mappings may be performed at thesetime instances, which results in only a few resources available forother uplink signals. Such a configuration manner has a great influenceon uplink control and data transmission, thus the possibility of thisconfiguration is very small. If PRACH resource indication informationhaving a dozen of bits is specially introduced for this configuration,waste of bits may be caused. Therefore, it is needed to design a mannerfor flexibly indicating an available PRACH resource by using a smallnumber of bits (for example, 4 bit).

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and a device forconfiguring a contention free random access resource, to reduce bitoverhead needed for indicating an RO resource of a contention freeaccess procedure.

In a first aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide amethod for configuring a contention free random access resource, appliedto a network device, which includes:

-   -   transmitting target resource indication information to a user        equipment based on a pre-defined mapping relationship;    -   where the target resource indication information is used to        determine a physical random access channel transmission occasion        (RO) resource, the target resource indication information        includes at least one of: a physical random access channel        (PRACH) mask index or an RO resource index, and the pre-defined        mapping relationship includes a correspondence between a value        range of the target resource indication information and the RO        resource.

In a second aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide amethod for configuring a contention free random access resource, appliedto a user equipment, which includes:

-   -   receiving target resource indication information, where the        target resource indication information is used to determine a        physical random access channel transmission occasion (RO)        resource, and the target resource indication information        includes at least one of: a physical random access channel        (PRACH) mask index or an RO resource index; and    -   determining a target RO resource based on a value range of the        target resource indication information and a pre-defined mapping        relationship, where the pre-defined mapping relationship        includes a correspondence between the value range of the target        resource indication information and the RO resource.

In a third aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide anetwork device, which includes:

-   -   a transmitting module, configured to transmit target resource        indication information to a user equipment based on a        pre-defined mapping relationship;    -   where the target resource indication information is used to        determine a physical random access channel transmission occasion        (RO) resource, the target resource indication information        includes at least one of: a physical random access channel        (PRACH) mask index or an RO resource index, and the pre-defined        mapping relationship includes a correspondence between a value        range of the target resource indication information and the RO        resource.

In a fourth aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a userequipment, which includes:

-   -   a receiving module, configured to receive target resource        indication information, where the target resource indication        information is used to determine a physical random access        channel transmission occasion (RO) resource, and the target        resource indication information includes at least one of: a        physical random access channel (PRACH) mask index or an RO        resource index; and    -   a first determining module, configured to determine a target RO        resource based on a value range of the target resource        indication information and a pre-defined mapping relationship,        where the pre-defined mapping relationship includes a        correspondence between the value range of the target resource        indication information and the RO resource.

In a fifth aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide anetwork device, which includes: a memory, a processor, and a radiocommunication program stored in the memory and executable by theprocessor, where the radio communication program, when being executed bythe processor, performs the steps of the method according to the firstaspect.

In a sixth aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a userequipment, which includes: a memory, a processor, and a radiocommunication program stored in the memory and executable by theprocessor, where the radio communication program, when being executed bythe processor, performs the steps of the method according to the secondaspect.

In a seventh aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide acomputer-readable medium, having a radio communication program storedthereon, where the radio communication program, when being executed by aprocessor, performs the steps of the method according to the firstaspect or the second aspect.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the network devicetransmits the target resource indication information to the userequipment based on the pre-defined mapping relationship; where thetarget resource indication information is used to determine the physicalrandom access channel transmission occasion RO resource, the targetresource indication information includes at least one of: the physicalrandom access channel PRACH mask index and the RO resource index, andthe pre-defined mapping relationship is a correspondence between thevalue range of the target resource indication information and the ROresource. Since indication of the RO resource can be achieved by thenetwork device through transmitting the target resource indicationinformation with less content to the user equipment, bit overhead neededfor indicating an RO resource of a contention free access procedure canbe reduced. In addition, the manner in which the physical random accesschannel transmission occasion (RO) resource is determined based on thecorrespondence between the value range of the target resource indicationinformation and the RO resource is flexible, thus the flexibility ofconfiguring the RO resource by the network device is improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To better clarify technical solutions of embodiments of the presentdisclosure or the conventional technologies, drawings used indescriptions of embodiments of the present disclosure or theconventional technologies are briefly introduced hereinafter.Apparently, the described drawings merely illustrate a part of theembodiments of the present disclosure. A person ordinary skilled in theart can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without anycreative efforts.

FIG. 1 is a schematic flowchart of a method for configuring a contentionfree random access resource according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an association relationship between ROresources and associated objects according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of another association relationshipbetween RO resources and associated objects according to embodiments ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of another association relationshipbetween RO resources and associated objects according to embodiments ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart of another method for configuring acontention free random access resource according to embodiments of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a network device 600according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a user equipment 700according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a network device 800according to embodiments of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of a user equipment 900according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand thetechnical solutions in the present disclosure, the technical solutionsin embodiments of the present disclosure are described clearly inconjunction with drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure.Apparently, the described embodiments are merely a part of rather thanall the embodiments of the present disclosure. All other embodimentsobtained by a person ordinary skilled in the art based on theembodiments of the present disclosure without any creative efforts fallwithin the protection scope of the present disclosure.

It should be understood that the technical solutions of the embodimentsof the present disclosure may be applied to various communicationsystems, such as global system of mobile communication (Global System ofMobile communication, GSM) system, code division multiple access (CodeDivision Multiple Access, CDMA) system, wideband code division multipleaccess (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, WCDMA) system, generalpacket radio service (General Packet Radio Service, GPRS), long termevolution (Long Term Evolution, LTE) system, LTE frequency divisionduplex (Frequency Division Duplex, FDD) system, LTE time division duplex(Time Division Duplex, TDD), universal mobile telecommunication system(Universal Mobile Telecommunication System, UMTS) or worldwideinteroperability for microwave access (Worldwide Interoperability forMicrowave Access, WiMAX) communication system, fifth generation (5-thGeneration, 5G) mobile communication system, or new radio (New Radio,NR) system.

User equipment (User Equipment, UE), also known as mobile terminal(Mobile Terminal), mobile user equipment, etc., may communicate with atleast one core network via a radio access network (for example, RadioAccess Network, RAN). The user equipment may be a mobile terminal suchas a mobile phone (or referred to as cellular phone), and may be acomputer with a mobile terminal, such as a portable, pocket-sized,handheld, computer-built-in or vehicle-mounted mobile device, whichexchanges language and/or data with a radio access network.

A network device is a device deployed in a radio access network toprovide, for a user equipment, a function of contention free randomaccess resource configuration. The network device may be a base station,and the base station may be a base station (Base Transceiver Station,BTS) in GSM or CDMA, or it may be a base station (NodeB) in WCDMA, or itmay be an evolutional base station (evolutional Node B, eNB or e-NodeB)in LTE or a base station (gNB) in 5G.

It should be noted that when describing specific embodiments, sizes ofsequence numbers in each process do not represent the execution order.The execution order of each process needs to be determined based on itsfunction and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation ofthe process of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

A method for configuring a contention free random access resource,applied to a network device, is described hereinafter with reference toFIGS. 1 to 4 .

FIG. 1 shows a method for configuring a contention free random accessresource according to an embodiment of the present application, which isapplied to a network device. As shown in FIG. 1 , the method may includethe following steps.

Step 101 includes: transmitting target resource indication informationto a user equipment based on a pre-defined mapping relationship; wherethe target resource indication information is used to determine aphysical random access channel transmission occasion (PRACH transmissionoccasion, RO) resource, the target resource indication informationincludes at least one of: a physical random access channel (PRACH) maskindex (mask index) or an RO resource index (RO index), and thepre-defined mapping relationship includes a correspondence between avalue range of the target resource indication information and the ROresource.

The pre-defined mapping relationship may be predetermined by the networkdevice or specified by a protocol, and the pre-defined mappingrelationship is related to an RO resource group. In an example, thepre-defined mapping relationship may specifically be determined by thenetwork device based on an RO resource group. In another example, thepreset relationship may be determined by the network device based on thecombination of an RO resource group and other reference factors, whereother reference factors may include: frequency range (such as FR1 orFR2), format (such as FDD or TDD), etc.

The target resource indication information may be indication informationof the RO resource, which needs to be transmitted by the network deviceto the user equipment.

For the value range of the target resource indication information, forexample: when the target resource indication information only includesthe PRACH mask index, the value range of the target resource indicationinformation may specifically be PRACH mask index numbers; when thetarget resource indication information includes only the RO resourceindex, the value range of the target resource indication information mayspecifically be RO resource index numbers; when the target resourceindication information includes both the PRACH mask index and the ROresource index, the value range of the target resource indicationinformation may specifically be a two-tuple formed by the PRACH maskindex numbers and the RO resource index numbers.

It can be understood that the number of the PRACH mask index or the ROresource index included in the target resource indication informationmay be one or more.

The RO resource group may be specifically obtained by grouping, based ona preset parameter, configured RO resources within a preset timeinterval; where the preset parameter includes one of: identifiers of theRO resources, time positions of the RO resources, frequency domainpositions of the RO resources, a type of an associated object of the ROresources, or an association group, the type of the associated objectincludes a synchronization signal block (SSB) or a channel stateinformation-reference signal (CSI-RS), and the association group is aset of RO resources needed for a complete mapping between RO resourcesand associated objects.

The preset time interval may be a configuration period for the networkdevice to configure RO resource. Since the RO resources is are PRACHresources, the configuration period of the RO resources may beunderstood as a configuration period for the network device to configurethe PRACH resources. Or, the preset time interval may be asynchronization period. The synchronization period is the shortest timeneeded for a complete mapping between RO and associated object.Generally, the shortest time is 1 times, 2 times, or 4 times theconfiguration period.

A case where grouping of configured RO resources within a preset timeinterval is performed based on each preset parameter is illustratedhereinafter with detailed examples.

In an example where grouping of the RO resources is performed based onidentifiers of the RO resources, the identifier of the RO resource maybe understood as an identifier of each RO resource configured by thenetwork device within the preset time interval, and the identifiers ofdifferent RO resources are different. In this way, in a case that thepreset parameter is the identifiers of the RO resources, the number ofthe RO resource group is equal to the number of the configured ROresources within the preset time interval. For example, it is assumedthat the network device configures 10 RO resources in a PRACHconfiguration period, then there are correspondingly 10 different ROresource identifiers, the RO resources are divided into 10 groups, andeach group contains one RO resource.

In an example where grouping of the RO resources is performed based ontime positions of the RO resources, the time position may be understoodas a time domain occasion or a time instance (time instance), andspecifically RO resources with the same time position may be groupedinto the same group. For example, RO resources that are all located insymbol (symbol) n to the symbol n+N are grouped into the same group,where N is the number of symbols occupied by a RO resource in thecurrently configured preamble format (format).

In an example where grouping of the RO resources is performed based onfrequency domain positions of the RO resources, the frequency domainposition may be a frequency range or a specific frequency, andspecifically, RO resources with the same frequency domain position maybe grouped into the same group.

In order to more clearly understand the example of grouping the ROresources based on a type of an associated object of the RO resources,association between RO resource and associated object is describedhereinafter by taking a case where the associated object is an SSB as anexample. In the NR, there may be an association relationship between theRO resource and the SSB actually transmitted by the network device, andthe RO resource may be associated with multiple SSBs. Specifically, thenumber of SSBs that may be associated with an RO resource may be: {⅛, ¼,½, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16}. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 , it is assumed thatan RO resource is associated with ⅛ SSB, there are 4 RO resourcesperforming FDM at a time instance, there are 3 SSBs in total, and the 3SSBs are numbered 1-3, which are specifically expressed as: SSB1, SSB2,and SSB3 (which may be numbered 0-2 in practical applications, andspecifically expressed as: SSB0, SSB1, and SSB2). In FIG. 2 , Trepresents a PRACH resource configuration period, one grid representsone RO resource, grids with different filling patterns represent ROresources associated with different SSBs, the number of rows of thegrids represents the number of RO resources at a time instance, and thenumber of columns of the grids represents the number of time instances.The number of SSBs actually transmitted by the network device is lessthan or equal to the number of SSBs that the network device cantransmit.

On this basis, in an example where grouping of the RO resourcesisperformed based on a type of an associated object of the RO resources,RO resources with the same type of associated object may be grouped intothe same group, and the associated object associated with each ROresource in the same group may be one associated object or may be moreassociated objects. For example, RO resources each of which isassociated with one SSB and associated with SSB1 are grouped into thesame group; for another example, RO resources each of which isassociated with two SSBs and associated with both SSB2 and SSB3 aregrouped into the same group, and so on.

In order to facilitate understanding of the example where grouping ofthe RO resources are performed based on the association group,association group is described hereinafter by taking a case where theassociated object is an SSB as an example. As mentioned above, theassociation group is a set of RO resources required for a completemapping between RO resources and associated objects. Specifically, in acase that the total number of RO resources configured by the networkdevice in a PRACH resource configuration period is greater than or equalto the number of RO resources needed for complete SSB-RO (or CSI-RS-RO)mapping for two times, the SSB-RO (or CSI-RS-RO) mapping may be repeatedon these configured RO resources.

As shown in FIG. 3 , it is assumed that an RO resource is associatedwith ⅛ SSBs, there are 3 SSBs in total, and the 3 SSBs are numbered 1-3,which respectively correspond to SSB1, SSB2, and SSB3 in FIG. 3 , then8*3=24 RO resources are needed for a complete SSB-RO mapping. There are12 time instances in a PRACH resource configuration period T, and thereare 4 RO resources performing FDM at a time instance, so there are atotal of 12*4=48 RO resources in the PRACH resource configuration periodT, and then the complete SSB-RO mapping may be repeated twice in thePRACH resource configuration period.

For another example, in a case that the total number of configured ROresources in a PRACH resource configuration period T is 72, then thecomplete SSB-RO mapping may be repeated for three times in theconfiguration period. In a case that the total number of configured ROresources in the PRACH resource configuration period T is more, thenthen complete SSB-RO mapping may be repeated for more times, and so on.

On this basis, in the example where grouping of the RO resources isperformed based on the association group, RO resources with the sameassociation group may be grouped into the same group.

In order to distinguish the meanings of the RO resource index and theidentifier of the RO resource mentioned above, the meaning of the ROresource index is explained hereinafter with reference to FIG. 4 . Forthe meaning of the identifier of the RO resource, reference can be madeto the above description.

As described in the background of the present disclosure, in the LTE, ora contention free random access procedure, a network device usuallytransmits, to a user equipment through a PSCCH or RRC, informationcarrying a preamble index (preamble index) and a PRACH mask index (maskindex), to instruct the user equipment to transmit, on a PRACH resourceindicated by the PRACH mask index, a preamble (preamble) correspondingto the preamble index. Moreover, in the NR, it is allowed to carry a3-bit RO index and a 6-bit SSB index in a PDCCH that triggers acontention free random access procedure. SSB index is index of SSB, andRO index is RO resource index associated with the SSB index. Forexample, it is assumed that there are 3 SSBs and each SSB is associatedwith 8 RO resources, then, in a case that SSB index=3 and RO index=2,RO2 associated with SSB3 is represented.

Referring to FIG. 4 , there are two understandings about RO2. One refersto the RO whose frequency domain serial number is 2 among RO resourcesin FDM manner at the current time instance, such as the grid where thenumber 2 or 6 is located in FIG. 4 ; the other refers to the RO whoseindex number is 2 among RO resources associated with SSB3 in the currentSSB-RO mapping, such as the grid where the number 2 is located in FIG. 4.

Exemplarily, the pre-defined mapping relationship in step 101 mayinclude, but is not limited to, one or more of the following 14correspondence relationships.

(1) In a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a first preset interval, the corresponding RO resourceincludes: all configured RO resources within a preset time interval.

(2) In a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a second preset interval, the corresponding ROresource includes: an RO resource associated with a preset associatedobject, in an odd-numbered RO resource group.

For example, in a case that grouping of the RO resources is performedbased on the association group, and if the value of the PRACH mask indexin the target resource indication information is 1, then thecorresponding RO resource includes: an RO resource associated with apreset associated object, in each odd-numbered association group.Descriptions of the preset associated object will be provided in thefollowing, which is not described herein.

(3) In a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a third preset interval, the corresponding RO resourceincludes: an RO resource associated with a preset associated object, inan even-numbered RO resource group.

For example, in a case that grouping of the RO resources is performedbased on the association group, and if the value of the PRACH mask indexin the target resource indication information is 2, then thecorresponding RO resource includes: an RO resource associated with apreset associated object, in each even-numbered association group.

(4) In a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a fourth preset interval, the corresponding ROresource includes: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has an odd index number, in an odd-numbered ROresource group; and an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has an even index number, in an even-numbered ROresource group.

For example, in a case that grouping of the RO resources is performedbased on the association group, and if the value of the PRACH mask indexin the target resource indication information is 3, then thecorresponding RO resource includes: an RO resource having an odd indexnumber among RO resources associated with a preset associated object, inan odd-numbered association group; and an RO resource having an evenindex number among RO resources associated with a preset associatedobject, in an even-numbered association group.

(5) In a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a fifth preset interval, the corresponding RO resourceincludes: all RO resources associated with a preset associated object,in an i^(th) subgroup of all RO resource groups, where i is determinedaccording to a value of the target resource indication information,subgroups are obtained by equally dividing all the RO resource groups insequence, and i is an integer greater than zero and less than or equalto the total number of the subgroups.

For example, in a case that grouping of the RO resources is performedbased on the association group: if the value of the PRACH mask index inthe target resource indication information is 1, the corresponding ROresource includes an RO resource associated with a preset associatedobject, in the first half of association group; or, if the value of thePRACH mask index in the target resource indication information is 2, thecorresponding RO resource includes an RO resource associated with apreset associated object, in the last half of association group. Thatis, all RO resource groups are equally divided into two subgroups insequence (i may be {1,2}), the subgroup may be referred to as a ½subgroup, the first half of association group is the first (i=1) ½subgroup, and the second half of association group is the second (i=2) ½subgroup.

For another example, in a case that all RO resource groups are equallydivided into four subgroups in sequence (i may be {1,2,3,4}), thesubgroup may be called ¼ subgroup, and there are a first (i=1) ¼subgroup, a second (i=2) ¼ subgroup, a third (i=3) ¼ subgroup and afourth (i=4) ¼ subgroup. In this case, if the value of the PRACH maskindex in the target resource indication information is 1, thecorresponding RO resource includes an RO resource associated with apreset associated object, in the first quarter of association group; or,if the value of the PRACH mask index in the target resource indicationinformation is 2, the corresponding RO resource includes an RO resourceassociated with a preset associated object, in the second quarter ofassociation group.

(6) In a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a sixth preset interval, the corresponding RO resourceincludes: RO resources in a j^(th) subgroup among all RO resourcesassociated with a preset associated object, from all RO resource groups,where j is determined according to a value of the target resourceindication information, subgroups are obtained by equally dividing allthe RO resources associated with the preset associated object insequence, and j is an integer greater than zero and less than or equalto the total number of the subgroups.

For example, all RO resources associated with a preset associated objectare equally divided into two subgroups in sequence (j may be {1,2}), thesubgroup may be called ½ subgroup, the first half of each associationgroup is the first (i=1) ½ subgroup, and the second half of eachassociation group is the second (i=2) ½ subgroup.

For another example, in a case that all the RO resources associated witha preset associated object are equally divided into four subgroups insequence (j may be {1,2,3,4}), the subgroup may be called ¼ subgroup,then the first quarter of each association group is the first (i=1) ¼subgroup, the second quarter of each association group is the second(i=2) ¼ subgroup, the third quarter of each association group is thethird (i=3) ¼ subgroup, and the last quarter of each association groupis the fourth (i=4) ¼ subgroup.

(7) In a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a seventh preset interval, the corresponding ROresource includes: RO resources associated with a preset associatedobject, in a preset number of consecutive RO resource groups startingfrom a RO resource group having a preset serial number.

For example, in a case that grouping of the RO resources is performedbased on the association group, and if the value of the PRACH mask indexin the target resource indication information is 7, the corresponding ROresources may include: RO resources associated with a preset associatedobject, in Y consecutive groups starting from an X^(th) associationgroup.

(8) In a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in an eighth preset interval, the corresponding ROresource includes: all RO resources associated with a preset associatedobject, in a RO resource group having a preset serial number, where thepreset serial number is determined according to a value of the targetresource indication information.

For example, in the case that grouping of the RO resources is performedbased on the association group, and if the value of the PRACH mask indexin the target resource indication information is 8, the corresponding ROresource may include: all RO resources associated with a presetassociated object, in the 9th RO resource group.

(9) In a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a ninth preset interval, the corresponding RO resourceincludes: an RO resource that is associated with a preset associatedobject and has a preset index number, in all RO resource groups.

The preset index number may be determined based on a value of aspecified bit of the PRACH mask index and a value indicated by theremaining bits of the PRACH mask index.

For example, in the case that grouping of the RO resources is performedbased on the association group, it is assumed that the specified bit isthe most significant bit, and if the value of the PRACH mask index inthe target resource indication information is 9, the correspondingbinary number is 111, the value of the most significant bit of the PRACHmask index is 1, and the value indicated by the remaining bits is 3.Then the value indicated by the remaining bits may be determined as thepreset index number, and the corresponding RO resource may include: anRO resource that is associated with a preset associated object and has apreset index number of 3 (i.e., RO 3), in all RO resource groups.

(10) In a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a tenth preset interval, the corresponding RO resourceincludes: an RO resource that is associated with a preset associatedobject and has a preset index number, in an odd-number RO resourcegroup.

The method for determining the preset index number may be similar tothat in the ninth correspondence relationship, which is not describedhereinafter.

(11) In a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in an eleventh preset interval, the corresponding ROresource includes: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has a preset index number, in an even-number ROresource group.

(12) In a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a twelfth preset interval, the corresponding ROresource includes: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has a preset index number, in a k^(th) subgroup ofall RO resource groups, where k is determined according to a value ofthe target resource indication information, subgroups are obtained byequally dividing all resource groups in sequence, and k is an integergreater than zero and less than or equal to the total number of thesubgroups.

In this correspondence relationship, division of subgroups anddetermination of the value of k are similar to those in item (5), whichis not repeated herein.

(13) In a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a thirteenth preset interval, the corresponding ROresource includes: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has a preset index number, in an RO resource grouphaving a preset serial number, where the preset serial number isdetermined according to a value of the target resource indicationinformation.

(14) In a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a fourteenth preset interval, the corresponding ROresource includes: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has a preset index number, in a preset number ofconsecutive RO resource groups starting from a RO resource group havinga preset serial number.

It should be noted that the above 14 correspondences are not anexhaustive list of correspondences included in the pre-defined mappingrelationship. Those skilled in the art can extend more correspondences,or extend more meanings represented by different values of the targetresource indication information, based on the technical ideas of theembodiments of the present disclosure.

It should also be noted that the value included in the first presetinterval to the fourteenth preset interval may be one value or may bemore values.

It can be understood that, it is assumed that the number ofcorrespondences between the value range of the target resourceindication information and the RO resource determined in actualapplications is not more than 16, then the network device can realizethe indication of the RO resource by using 4 bits, thereby reducing bitoverhead needed for indicating a PRACH resource of a contention freeaccess procedure.

In specific implementations, the step 101 may specifically include:transmitting the target resource indication information to the userequipment through a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or radioresource control (RRC).

On this basis, in an example, in a case that the PDCCH or the RRCfurther carries one or more associated object index numbers, the presetassociated object in the above 14 correspondence relationships may beassociated object(s) corresponding to the one or more associated objectindex numbers.

For example, it is assumed that the PDCCH or RRC further carries SSBindication information, the SSB indication information includes one or agroup of SSBs associated with RO resources, and the one or the group ofSSBs indicated in the SSB indication information may be recorded as aSSB list (ssb-ResourceList) in the embodiments of the presentdisclosure. In this way, the preset associated object in the above 14correspondence relationships may be an associated object in the SSBlist.

In another example, the preset associated object in the 14correspondence relationships may include multiple associated objectstransmitted by the network device (which may be actually transmitted bythe network device). The multiple associated objects may be allassociated objects transmitted by the network device, or may be part ofassociated objects transmitted by the network device. In this example,there may be two situations. One situation is that the PDCCH or the RRCdoes not carry the associated object index numbers, and the multipleassociated objects actually transmitted by the network device may bedirectly used as the preset associated object; the other situation isthat the PDCCH or the RRC carries the associated object index numbers,but the carried associated object index numbers are invalid, then themultiple associated objects actually transmitted by the network deviceare used as the preset associated object.

In addition, as described above, in a case that the target resourceindication information includes the PRACH mask index and does notinclude the RO resource index, the preset index number in the above 14correspondence relationships may be determined based on the value of thespecified bit of the PRACH mask index and the value indicated by theremaining bits. The preset index number described in 14 correspondences.The specified bit may be any one or more bits of the PRACH mask index,such as the most significant bit, or, the least significant bit, or, themost significant bit and a bit next to the most significant bit.

Specifically, when that the specified bit is the most significant bit:in a case that the most significant bit of the PRACH mask index is afirst preset value, the preset index number is the value indicated bythe remaining bits of the PRACH mask index; and in a case that the mostsignificant bit of the PRACH mask index is a second preset value, thepreset index number is a value other than the value indicated by theremaining bits of the PRACH mask index; and the first preset value andthe second preset value are different.

For example, in a case that the most significant bit of the PRACH maskindex indicates 0 (the first preset value=0), and the value of the otherbits of the PRACH mask index except the most significant bit is N, thenthe preset index number of the RO resource may be N. In addition, thePRACH mask index combined with the SSB index represents an RO resourcewhose index number is N among RO resources associated with theassociated objects in the SSB list. In a case that the most significantbit of the PRACH mask index indicates 1 (the second preset value=1), andthe value of the other bits of the PRACH mask index except the mostsignificant bit is N, then the PRACH mask index does not indicate an ROresource whose index number is N among RO resources, and indicates otherRO resources.

Furthermore, in embodiments of the present disclosure, the configured ROresources within the preset time interval may include: any RO resourcesamong all configured RO resources within the preset time interval, orvalid RO resources among all configured RO resources within the presettime interval.

In different application scenarios, valid RO resources have differentmeanings. For FR1, RO resources are generally transmitted in the uplinkpart of the semi-static DL/UL configuration configured by remainingminimum system information (Remaining Minimum System Information, RMSI),and it is generally considered that the RO resources may not conflictwith downlink transmission, that is, it is generally considered that ROresources under FR1 are all valid. For FR2, RO resources are generallytransmitted in the uplink part and flexible part of the semi-staticDL/UL configuration configured by RMSI; and in a random access channel(Random Access Channel, RACH) slot, valid RO resources may not conflictwith SSB and may not appear in front of SSB, and the user equipment doesnot expect to receive downlink signals on any valid RO, that is, it isgenerally considered that RO resources, which may not conflict with SSBand may not appear in front of SSB and on which downlink signals may notbe received, are valid.

According to the method for configuring the contention free randomaccess resource provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure,since indication of the RO resource can be achieved by the networkdevice through transmitting the target resource indication informationwith less content to the user equipment, bit overhead needed forindicating an RO resource of a contention free access procedure can bereduced. In addition, the manner in which the physical random accesschannel transmission occasion (RO) resource is determined based on thecorrespondence between the value range of the target resource indicationinformation and the RO resource is flexible, thus the flexibility ofconfiguring the RO resource by the network device is improved.

General descriptions of the method for configuring the contention freerandom access resource, which is applied to the network device, areprovided in the above. The pre-defined mapping relationship is describedhereinafter with specific examples.

In a first example, pieces of target resource indication information arerespectively designed for different frequency ranges (FR1 or FR2) anddifferent formats (FFD or TDD) (that is, design is performed accordingto the frequency range and the format), the target resource indicationinformation includes: the PRACH mask index and the RO resource index,grouping of RO resources is performed based on an association group, andthe target resource indication information is transmitted to the userequipment through a PDCCH or RRC.

It is assumed that the PDCCH or RRC also carries SSB indicationinformation, the SSB indication information includes one or more SSBsassociated with RO resources (for example, the SSB indicationinformation indicates an SSB associated with RO resources, or the SSBindication information indicates a group of SSBs associated with ROresources), and the one or more SSBs are recorded as a SSB list(ssb-ResourceList). It is assumed that the value of the RO resourceindex is N, and an RO resource whose index number is N among ROresources associated with SSBM is recorded as RO N. It is also assumedthat under FDD&FR1, TDD&FR1 and TDD&FR2, the quantities of associationgroups configured by the base station in a PRACH resource configurationperiod do not exceed N1, N2, and N3, respectively, where N1>N3>N2.

On this basis, the pre-defined mapping relationship as shown in Table 1may be determined.

TABLE 1 Example 1 of pre-defined mapping relationship For TDD For FDDFR1, FR1, available available PRACH PRACH For TDD FR2, PRACH resourcesresources available mask (Allowed (Allowed PRACH resources index PRACH)PRACH) (Allowed PRACH) 0 All RO 1 RO N associated with associatedobject(s) in the SSB list, in all association groups 2 RO N associatedwith associated object(s) in the SSB list, in each odd-numberedassociation group 3 RO N associated with associated object(s) in the SSBlist, in each even-numbered association group 4 RO N associated withassociated object(s) in the SSB list, in the first half of theassociation group 5 RO N associated with associated object(s) in the SSBlist, in the last half of the association group 6 RO N associated withassociated object(s) in the SSB list, in the first association group 7RO N associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list, in the secondassociation group . . . . . . N2 + 5 RO N associated with associatedobject(s) in the SSB list, in the N2^(th) association group N2 + 6 RO Nassociated with Reserved RO N associated with associated object(s) inassociated object(s) in the SSB list, in the the SSB list, in the (N2 +1)^(th) association (N2 + 1)^(th) association group group . . . . . .N3 + 5 RO N associated with Reserved RO N associated with associatedobject(s) in associated object(s) in the SSB list, in the N3^(th) theSSB list, in the N3^(th) association group association group N3 + 6 RO Nassociated with Reserved Reserved associated object(s) in the SSB list,in the (N3 + 1)^(th) association group . . . . . . N1 + 5 RO Nassociated with Reserved Reserved associated object(s) in the SSB list,in the N1^(th) association group

In a second example, the same target resource indication information isdesigned for different frequency ranges (FR1 or FR2) and differentformats (FFD or TDD) (that is, design is performed uniformly regardlessof frequency range and format), the target resource indicationinformation includes: the PRACH mask index and the RO resource index,grouping of RO resources is performed based on an association group, andthe target resource indication information is transmitted to the userequipment through a PDCCH or RRC.

It is assumed that the PDCCH or RRC also carries SSB indicationinformation, the SSB indication information includes one or more SSBsassociated with RO resources (for example, the SSB indicationinformation indicates an SSB associated with RO resources, or the SSBindication information indicates a group of SSBs associated with ROresources), and the one or more SSBs are recorded as a SSB list(ssb-ResourceList). It is assumed that the value of the RO resourceindex is N, and an RO resource whose index number is N among ROresources associated with SSBM is recorded as RO N. It is also assumedthat the number of association groups configured by the base station ina PRACH resource configuration period does not exceed X.

On this basis, the pre-defined mapping relationship as shown in Table 2may be determined.

TABLE 2 Example 2 of pre-defined mapping relationship PRACH mask indexAvailable PRACH resources (Allowed PRACH) 0 All RO 1 RO N associatedwith associated object(s) in the SSB list, in all association groups 2RO N associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list, in eachodd-numbered association group 3 RO N associated with associatedobject(s) in the SSB list, in each even-numbered association group 4 RON associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list, in the firsthalf of the association group 5 RO N associated with associatedobject(s) in the SSB list, in the last half of the association group 6RO N associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list, in the firstassociation group 7 RO N associated with associated object(s) in the SSBlist, in the second association group . . . . . . X + 5 RO N associatedwith associated object(s) in the SSB list, in the X^(th) associationgroup

In a third example, the same target resource indication information isdesigned for different frequency ranges (FR1 or FR2) and differentformats (FFD or TDD) (that is, design is performed uniformly regardlessof frequency range and format), the target resource indicationinformation only includes the PRACH mask index and does not include theRO resource index, grouping of RO resources is performed based on anassociation group, the target resource indication information istransmitted to the user equipment through a PDCCH or RRC, and a value ofa most significant bit of the PRACH mask index and a value indicated bythe remaining bits of the PRACH mask index are used to determine thepreset index number of the RO resource (the most significant bit ofPRACH is used to determine the preset index number of the RO resource).

It is assumed that the PDCCH or RRC also carries SSB indicationinformation, the SSB indication information includes one or more SSBsassociated with RO resources (for example, the SSB indicationinformation indicates an SSB associated with RO resources, or the SSBindication information indicates a group of SSBs associated with ROresources), and the one or more SSBs are recorded as a SSB list(ssb-ResourceList). In this example, SSB(s) in the SSB list may bedetermined as the preset associated object, or all SSBs actuallytransmitted by the network device may be determined as the presetassociated object.

For example, in a case that the most significant bit of the PRACH maskindex indicates 0 (the first preset value=0), and the value of the otherbits of the PRACH mask index except the most significant bit is N, thenthe preset index number of the RO resource may be N. In addition, thePRACH mask index combined with the SSB index represents an RO resourcewhose index number is N among RO resources associated with theassociated object(s) in the SSB list.

In a case that the most significant bit of the PRACH mask indexindicates 1 (the second preset value=1), and the value of the other bitsof the PRACH mask index except the most significant bit is N, then thePRACH mask index does not indicate an RO resource whose index number isN among RO resources, and indicates other RO resource(s).

On this basis, the pre-defined mapping relationship shown in Table 3 maybe determined.

TABLE 3 Example 3 of pre-defined mapping relationship PRACH mask indexAvailable PRACH resources (Allowed PRACH) 0 RO associated withassociated object(s) in the SSB list (or with all SSBs actuallytransmitted by the network device) and having an index of 0 1 ROassociated with associated object(s) in the SSB list (or with all SSBsactually transmitted by the network device) and having an index of 1 2RO associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list (or with allSSBs actually transmitted by the network device) and having an index of2 3 RO associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list (or with allSSBs actually transmitted by the network device) and having an index of3 4 RO associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list (or with allSSBs actually transmitted by the network device) and having an index of4 5 RO associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list (or with allSSBs actually transmitted by the network device) and having an index of5 6 RO associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list (or with allSSBs actually transmitted by the network device) and having an index of6 7 RO associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list (or with allSSBs actually transmitted by the network device) and having an index of7 8 RO associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list (or with allSSBs actually transmitted by the network device) and having an oddindex, in an odd-numbered group; and RO associated with associatedobject(s) in the SSB list (or with all SSBs actually transmitted by thenetwork device) and having an even index, in an even-numbered group 9 ROassociated with associated object(s) in the SSB list (or with all SSBsactually transmitted by the network device), in C consecutiveassociation groups starting from the S^(th) association group 10 ROassociated with associated object(s) in the SSB list (or with all SSBsactually transmitted by the network device), in the odd-numbered group11 RO associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list (or with allSSBs actually transmitted by the network device), in the even-numberedgroup 12 RO associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list (orwith all SSBs actually transmitted by the network device), in the firsthalf of the association group 13 RO associated with associated object(s)in the SSB list (or with all SSBs actually transmitted by the networkdevice), in the last half of the association group 14 RO associated withassociated object(s) in the SSB list (or with all SSBs actuallytransmitted by the network device), in a certain group 15 All RO

In a fourth example, the same target resource indication information isdesigned for different frequency ranges (FR1 or FR2) and differentformats (FFD or TDD) (that is, design is performed uniformly regardlessof frequency range and format), the target resource indicationinformation only includes the PRACH mask index and does not include theRO resource index, grouping of RO resources is performed based on anassociation group, the target resource indication information istransmitted to the user equipment through a PDCCH or RRC, and the mostsignificant bit of PRACH is not used to determine the preset indexnumber of the RO resource.

It is assumed that the PDCCH or RRC also carries SSB indicationinformation, the SSB indication information includes one or more SSBsassociated with RO resources (for example, the SSB indicationinformation indicates an SSB associated with RO resources, or the SSBindication information indicates a group of SSBs associated with ROresources), and the one or more SSBs are recorded as a SSB list(ssb-ResourceList). In this example, SSB(s) in the SSB list may bedetermined as the preset associated object, or all SSBs actuallytransmitted by the network device may be determined as the presetassociated object.

On this basis, the pre-defined mapping relationship as shown in Table 3may be determined.

In a fifth example, pieces of target resource indication information arerespectively designed for different frequency ranges (FR1 or FR2) anddifferent formats (FFD or TDD) (that is, design is performed accordingto the frequency range and the format), the target resource indicationinformation only includes the PRACH mask index and does not include theRO resource index, grouping of RO resources is performed based on anassociation group, and the target resource indication information istransmitted to the user equipment through a PDCCH or RRC.

It is assumed that the PDCCH or RRC also carries SSB indicationinformation, the SSB indication information includes one or more SSBsassociated with RO resources (for example, the SSB indicationinformation indicates an SSB associated with RO resources, or the SSBindication information indicates a group of SSBs associated with ROresources), and the one or more SSBs are recorded as a SSB list(ssb-ResourceList). It is also assumed that under FDD&FR1, TDD&FR1 andTDD&FR2, the quantities of association groups configured by the basestation in a PRACH resource configuration period do not exceed N1, N2,and N3, respectively, where N1>N3>N2.

On this basis, the pre-defined mapping relationship as shown in Table 4may be determined.

TABLE 4 Example 4 of pre-defined mapping relationship For TDD FR1,available PRACH For TDD FR2, PRACH For FDD FR1, available resourcesavailable PRACH mask PRACH resources (Allowed resources (Allowed index(Allowed PRACH) PRACH) PRACH) 0 All RO 1 RO associated with associatedobject(s) in the SSB list, in all association groups 2 RO associatedwith associated object(s) in the SSB list, in each odd-numberedassociation group 3 RO associated with associated object(s) in the SSBlist, in each even-numbered association group 4 RO associated withassociated object(s) in the SSB list, in the first half of theassociation group 5 RO associated with associated object(s) in the SSBlist, in the last half of the association group 6 RO associated withassociated object(s) in the SSB list, in the first association group 7RO associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list, in the secondassociation group . . . . . . N2 + 5 RO associated with associatedobject(s) in the SSB list, in the N2^(th) association group N2 + 6 ROassociated with Reserved RO associated with associated object(s) inassociated object(s) the SSB list, in the in the SSB list, in (N2 +1)^(th) association the (N2 + 1)^(th) group association group . . . . .. N3 + 5 RO associated with Reserved RO associated with associatedobject(s) in associated object(s) the SSB list, in the in the SSB list,in the N3^(th) association N3^(th) association group group N3 + 6 ROassociated with Reserved Reserved associated object(s) in the SSB list,in the (N3 + 1)^(th) association group . . . . . . N1 + 5 RO associatedwith Reserved Reserved associated object(s) in the SSB list, in theN1^(th) association group

In a sixth example, the same target resource indication information isdesigned for different frequency ranges (FR1 or FR2) and differentformats (FFD or TDD) (that is, design is performed uniformly regardlessof frequency range and format), the target resource indicationinformation only includes the PRACH mask index and does not include theRO resource index, grouping of RO resources is performed based on anassociation group, and the target resource indication information istransmitted to the user equipment through a PDCCH or RRC.

It is assumed that the PDCCH or RRC also carries SSB indicationinformation, the SSB indication information includes one or more SSBsassociated with RO resources (for example, the SSB indicationinformation indicates an SSB associated with RO resources, or the SSBindication information indicates a group of SSBs associated with ROresources), and the one or more SSBs are recorded as a SSB list(ssb-ResourceList). It is also assumed that the number of associationgroups configured by the base station in a PRACH resource configurationperiod does not exceed D.

On this basis, the pre-defined mapping relationship shown in Table 5 maybe determined.

TABLE 5 Example 5 of pre-defined mapping relationship PRACH mask indexAvailable PRACH resources (Allowed PRACH) 0 All RO 1 RO associated withassociated object(s) in the SSB list, in all association groups 2 ROassociated with associated object(s) in the SSB list, in eachodd-numbered association group 3 RO associated with associated object(s)in the SSB list, in each even-numbered association group 4 RO associatedwith associated object(s) in the SSB list, in the first half of theassociation group 5 RO associated with associated object(s) in the SSBlist, in the last half of the association group 6 RO associated withassociated object(s) in the SSB list, in the first association group 7RO associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list, in the secondassociation group . . . . . . D + 5 RO associated with associatedobject(s) in the SSB list, in the D^(th) association group

In a seventh example, pieces of target resource indication informationare respectively designed for different frequency ranges (FR1 or FR2)and different formats (FFD or TDD) (that is, design is performedaccording to the frequency range and the format), the target resourceindication information includes: the PRACH mask index and the ROresource index, grouping of RO resources is performed based on timepositions (time instances), and the target resource indicationinformation is transmitted to the user equipment through a PDCCH or RRC.

It is assumed that the PDCCH or RRC also carries SSB indicationinformation, the SSB indication information includes one or more SSBsassociated with RO resources (for example, the SSB indicationinformation indicates an SSB associated with RO resources, or the SSBindication information indicates a group of SSBs associated with ROresources), and the one or more SSBs are recorded as a SSB list(ssb-ResourceList). It is assumed that the value of the RO resourceindex is N, and an RO resource whose index number is N among ROresources associated with SSBM is recorded as RO N. It is also assumedthat under FDD&FR1, TDD&FR1 and TDD&FR2, the quantities of timeinstances configured by the base station in a PRACH resourceconfiguration period do not exceed N1, N2, and N3, respectively, whereN1>N3>N2.

On this basis, the pre-defined mapping relationship as shown in Table 6may be determined.

TABLE 6 Example 6 of pre-defined mapping relationship For TDD FR1,available For FDD FR1, PRACH For TDD FR2, PRACH available PRACHresources available PRACH mask resources (Allowed (Allowed resources(Allowed index PRACH) PRACH) PRACH) 0 All RO 1 RO N associated withassociated object(s) in the SSB list, at all time instances 2 RO Nassociated with associated object(s) in the SSB list, at eachodd-numbered time instance 3 RO N associated with associated object(s)in the SSB list, at each even-numbered time instance 4 RO N associatedwith associated object(s) in the SSB list, at the first half of the timeinstance 5 RO N associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list, atthe last half of the time instance 6 RO N associated with associatedobject(s) in the SSB list, at the first time instance 7 RO N associatedwith associated object(s) in the SSB list, at the second time instance .. . . . . N2 + 5 RO N associated with associated object(s) in the SSBlist, at the N2^(th) time instance N2 + 6 RO N associated with ReservedRO N associated with associated object(s) in associated object(s) in theSSB list, at the the SSB list, at the (N2 + 1)^(th) time instance (N2 +1)^(th) time instance . . . . . . N3 + 5 RO N associated with ReservedRO N associated with associated object(s) in associated object(s) in theSSB list, at the N3^(th) the SSB list, at the N3^(th) time instance timeinstance N3 + 6 RO N associated with Reserved Reserved associatedobject(s) in the SSB list, at the (N3 + 1)^(th) time instance . . . . .. N1 + 5 RO N associated with Reserved Reserved associated object(s) inthe SSB list, at the N1^(th) time instance

In an eighth example, the same target resource indication information isdesigned for different frequency ranges (FR1 or FR2) and differentformats (FFD or TDD) (that is, design is performed uniformly regardlessof frequency range and format), the target resource indicationinformation includes: the PRACH mask index and the RO resource index,grouping of RO resources is performed based on time positions (timeinstances), and the target resource indication information istransmitted to the user equipment through a PDCCH or RRC.

It is assumed that the PDCCH or RRC also carries SSB indicationinformation, the SSB indication information includes one or more SSBsassociated with RO resources (for example, the SSB indicationinformation indicates an SSB associated with RO resources, or the SSBindication information indicates a group of SSBs associated with ROresources), and the one or more SSBs are recorded as a SSB list(ssb-ResourceList). It is assumed that the value of the RO resourceindex is N, and an RO resource whose index number is N among ROresources associated with SSBM is recorded as RO N. It is also assumedthat the number of time instances configured by the base station in aPRACH resource configuration period does not exceed X.

On this basis, the pre-defined mapping relationship as shown in Table 7may be determined.

TABLE 7 Example 7 of pre-defined mapping relationship PRACH mask indexAvailable PRACH resources (Allowed PRACH) 0 All RO 1 RO N associatedwith associated object(s) in the SSB list, at all time instances 2 RO Nassociated with associated object(s) in the SSB list, at eachodd-numbered time instance 3 RO N associated with associated object(s)in the SSB list, at each even-numbered time instance 4 RO N associatedwith associated object(s) in the SSB list, at the first half of the timeinstance 5 RO N associated with associated object(s) in the SSB list, atthe last half of the time instance 6 RO N associated with associatedobject(s) in the SSB list, at the first time instance 7 RO N associatedwith associated object(s) in the SSB list, at the second time instance .. . . . . X + 5 RO N associated with associated object(s) in the SSBlist, at the X^(th) time instance

Detailed descriptions of the method for configuring the contention freerandom access resource according to the embodiments of the presentdisclosure are provided in the above in conjunction with FIGS. 1 to 4 .A method for configuring a contention free random access resource, whichis applied to a user equipment, is described hereinafter in conjunctionwith FIG. 5 .

FIG. 5 shows a method for configuring a contention free random accessresource according to an embodiment of the present application, which isapplied to a user equipment. As shown in FIG. 5 , the method may includethe following steps.

Step 501 includes: receiving target resource indication information,where the target resource indication information is used to determine aphysical random access channel transmission occasion (RO) resource, andthe target resource indication information includes at least one of: aphysical random access channel (PRACH) mask index or an RO resourceindex

Step 502 includes: determining a target RO resource based on a valuerange of the target resource indication information and a pre-definedmapping relationship, where the pre-defined mapping relationshipincludes a correspondence between the value range of the target resourceindication information and the RO resource.

In an example, step 502 may specifically include:

sub-step 1: determining a candidate RO resource that matches the valuerange of the target resource indication information based on the valuerange of the target resource indication information and the pre-definedmapping relationship;

sub-step 2: in a case that the number of candidate RO resource is equalto one, determining the candidate RO resource as the target RO resource;

sub-step 3: in a case that the number of candidate RO resource isgreater than one, selecting, based on a first preset rule, one or moreRO resources from the candidate RO resources as the target RO resource;and

sub-step 4: in a case that the number of candidate RO resource is equalto zero, selecting, based on a second preset rule, one or more ROresources from configured RO resources within a preset time interval, asthe target RO resource.

More specifically, sub-step 3 may include: selecting, from the candidateRO resources, one or more available RO resources closest to a currenttime, as the target RO resource; or, selecting, from the candidate ROresources, multiple available RO resources in a manner of frequencydivision multiplex (FDM) in a frequency domain, as the target ROresource; or, selecting, from the candidate RO resources, multipleavailable RO resources in a manner of time division multiplex (TimeDivision Multiplex, TDM) in a time domain, as the target RO resource.

More specifically, sub-step 4 may include: selecting, from theconfigured RO resources within the preset time interval, one or moreavailable RO resources closest to a current time, as the target ROresource; or, selecting, from the configured RO resources within thepreset time interval, multiple available RO resources in a manner offrequency division multiplex (FDM) in a frequency domain, as the targetRO resource; or, selecting, from the configured RO resources within thepreset time interval, multiple available RO resources in a manner oftime division multiplex (TDM) in a time domain, as the target ROresource.

In an example, the pre-defined mapping relationship may be configured bythe network device for the user equipment or specified by a protocol,and the pre-defined mapping relationship is related to an RO resourcegroup.

The RO resource group is obtained by grouping, based on a presetparameter, configured RO resources within a preset time interval;

the preset parameter includes one of: identifiers of the RO resources,time positions of the RO resources, frequency domain positions of the ROresources, a type of an associated object of the RO resources, or anassociation group, the type of the associated object includes asynchronization signal block (SSB) or a channel stateinformation-reference signal (CSI-RS), and the association group is aset of RO resources needed for a complete mapping between RO resourcesand associated objects; and

in a case that the preset parameter is the identifiers of the ROresources, the number of the RO resource group is equal to the number ofthe configured RO resources within the preset time interval.

As an example, the preset time interval includes: a configuration periodfor configuring RO resources by the network device or a synchronizationperiod.

The pre-defined mapping relationship includes one or more of thefollowing relationships:

(1) in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a first preset interval, the corresponding RO resourcecomprises: all configured RO resources within a preset time interval bythe network device;

(2) in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a second preset interval, the corresponding ROresource comprises: an RO resource associated with a preset associatedobject, in an odd-numbered RO resource group;

(3) in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a third preset interval, the corresponding RO resourcecomprises: an RO resource associated with a preset associated object, inan even-numbered RO resource group;

(4) in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a fourth preset interval, the corresponding ROresource comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has an odd index number, in an odd-numbered ROresource group; and an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has an even index number, in an even-numbered ROresource group;

(5) in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a fifth preset interval, the corresponding RO resourcecomprises: all RO resources associated with a preset associated object,in an i^(th) subgroup of all RO resource groups, where i is determinedaccording to a value of the target resource indication information,subgroups are obtained by equally dividing all the RO resource groups insequence, and i is an integer greater than zero and less than or equalto the total number of the subgroups;

(6) in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a sixth preset interval, the corresponding RO resourcecomprises: RO resources in a j^(th) subgroup among all RO resourcesassociated with a preset associated object, from all RO resource groups,where j is determined according to a value of the target resourceindication information, subgroups are obtained by equally dividing allthe RO resources associated with the preset associated object insequence, and j is an integer greater than zero and less than or equalto the total number of the subgroups;

(7) in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a seventh preset interval, the corresponding ROresource comprises: RO resources associated with a preset associatedobject, in a preset number of consecutive RO resource groups startingfrom a RO resource group having a preset serial number;

(8) in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in an eighth preset interval, the corresponding ROresource comprises: all RO resources associated with a preset associatedobject, in a RO resource group having a preset serial number, where thepreset serial number is determined according to a value of the targetresource indication information;

(9) in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a ninth preset interval, the corresponding RO resourcecomprises: an RO resource that is associated with a preset associatedobject and has a preset index number, in all RO resource groups;

(10) in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a tenth preset interval, the corresponding RO resourcecomprises: an RO resource that is associated with a preset associatedobject and has a preset index number, in an odd-number RO resourcegroup;

(11) in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in an eleventh preset interval, the corresponding ROresource comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has a preset index number, in an even-number ROresource group;

(12) in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a twelfth preset interval, the corresponding ROresource comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has a preset index number, in a k^(th) subgroup ofall RO resource groups, where k is determined according to a value ofthe target resource indication information, subgroups are obtained byequally dividing all resource groups in sequence, and k is an integergreater than zero and less than or equal to the total number of thesubgroups;

(13) in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a thirteenth preset interval, the corresponding ROresource comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has a preset index number, in an RO resource grouphaving a preset serial number, where the preset serial number isdetermined according to a value of the target resource indicationinformation; or,

(14) in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a fourteenth preset interval, the corresponding ROresource comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has a preset index number, in a preset number ofconsecutive RO resource groups starting from a RO resource group havinga preset serial number.

Optionally, step 501 may specifically include: receiving the targetresource indication information carried in a physical downlink controlchannel (PDCCH) or radio resource control (RRC).

On this basis, in an example, in a case that the PDCCH or the RRCfurther carries one or more associated object index numbers, the methodshown in FIG. 5 may further include:

determining, associated object(s) corresponding to the one or moreassociated object index numbers, as the preset associated object.

In another example, the method shown in FIG. 5 may further include:determining, multiple associated objects transmitted by the networkdevice, as the preset associated object.

In another example, the method shown in FIG. 5 may further include:determining the preset index number based on a value of a specified bitof the PRACH mask index and a value indicated by remaining bits of thePRACH mask index.

More specifically, when the specified bit is a most significant bit, ina case that the most significant bit of the PRACH mask index is a firstpreset value, the value indicated by the remaining bits of the PRACHmask index is determined as the preset index number; and in a case thatthe most significant bit of the PRACH mask index is a second presetvalue, a value other than the value indicated by the remaining bits ofthe PRACH mask index is determined as the preset index number; where thefirst preset value and the second preset value are different.

Optionally, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the configuredRO resources within the preset time interval comprise: any RO resourcesamong all RO resources configured by the network device within thepreset time interval, or valid RO resources among all RO resourcesconfigured by the network device within the preset time interval.

According to the method for configuring the contention free randomaccess resource provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure,since the user equipment can determine the target RO resource based onthe received target resource indication information and the pre-definedmapping relationship, bit overhead needed for indicating an RO resourceof a contention free access procedure can be reduced. In addition, themanner in which the physical random access channel transmission occasion(RO) resource is determined based on the correspondence between thevalue range of the target resource indication information and the ROresource is flexible, thus the flexibility of configuring the ROresource by the network device is improved.

The network device and the user equipment according to the embodimentsof the present disclosure are described in detail hereinafter withreference to FIGS. 6 to 9 .

FIG. 6 shows a schematic structural diagram of a network device providedby embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 6 , thenetwork device 600 includes a transmitting module 601.

The transmitting module 601 is configured to transmit target resourceindication information to a user equipment based on a pre-definedmapping relationship; where the target resource indication informationis used to determine a physical random access channel transmissionoccasion (RO) resource, the target resource indication informationincludes at least one of: a physical random access channel (PRACH) maskindex or an RO resource index, and the pre-defined mapping relationshipincludes a correspondence between a value range of the target resourceindication information and the RO resource.

Optionally, the pre-defined mapping relationship is predetermined by thenetwork device or specified by a protocol, and the pre-defined mappingrelationship is related to an RO resource group.

Optionally, the RO resource group is obtained by grouping, based on apreset parameter, configured RO resources within a preset time interval;where the preset parameter includes one of: identifiers of the ROresources, time positions of the RO resources, frequency domainpositions of the RO resources, a type of an associated object of the ROresources, or an association group, the type of the associated objectincludes a synchronization signal block (SSB) or a channel stateinformation-reference signal (CSI-RS), and the association group is aset of RO resources needed for a complete mapping between RO resourcesand associated objects.

In a case that the preset parameter is the identifiers of the ROresources, the number of the RO resource group is equal to the number ofthe configured RO resources within the preset time interval.

Optionally, the preset time interval comprises: a configuration periodfor configuring RO resources by the network device or a synchronizationperiod.

Optionally, the pre-defined mapping relationship includes one or more ofthe following relationships:

-   -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a first preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: all configured RO resources within a preset        time interval;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a second preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: an RO resource associated with a preset        associated object, in an odd-numbered RO resource group;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a third preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: an RO resource associated with a preset        associated object, in an even-numbered RO resource group;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a fourth preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a        preset associated object and has an odd index number, in an        odd-numbered RO resource group; and an RO resource that is        associated with a preset associated object and has an even index        number, in an even-numbered RO resource group;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a fifth preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: all RO resources associated with a preset        associated object, in an i^(th) subgroup of all RO resource        groups, where i is determined according to a value of the target        resource indication information, subgroups are obtained by        equally dividing all the RO resource groups in sequence, and i        is an integer greater than zero and less than or equal to the        total number of the subgroups;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a sixth preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: RO resources in a j^(th) subgroup among all        RO resources associated with a preset associated object, from        all RO resource groups, where j is determined according to a        value of the target resource indication information, subgroups        are obtained by equally dividing all the RO resources associated        with the preset associated object in sequence, and j is an        integer greater than zero and less than or equal to the total        number of the subgroups;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a seventh preset interval, the corresponding        RO resource comprises: RO resources associated with a preset        associated object, in a preset number of consecutive RO resource        groups starting from a RO resource group having a preset serial        number;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in an eighth preset interval, the corresponding        RO resource comprises: all RO resources associated with a preset        associated object, in a RO resource group having a preset serial        number, where the preset serial number is determined according        to a value of the target resource indication information;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a ninth preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a        preset associated object and has a preset index number, in all        RO resource groups;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a tenth preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a        preset associated object and has a preset index number, in an        odd-number RO resource group;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in an eleventh preset interval, the corresponding        RO resource comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a        preset associated object and has a preset index number, in an        even-number RO resource group;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a twelfth preset interval, the corresponding        RO resource comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a        preset associated object and has a preset index number, in a        k^(th) subgroup of all RO resource groups, where k is determined        according to a value of the target resource indication        information, subgroups are obtained by equally dividing all        resource groups in sequence, and k is an integer greater than        zero and less than or equal to the total number of the        subgroups;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a thirteenth preset interval, the        corresponding RO resource comprises: an RO resource that is        associated with a preset associated object and has a preset        index number, in an RO resource group having a preset serial        number, where the preset serial number is determined according        to a value of the target resource indication information; or,    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a fourteenth preset interval, the        corresponding RO resource comprises: an RO resource that is        associated with a preset associated object and has a preset        index number, in a preset number of consecutive RO resource        groups starting from a RO resource group having a preset serial        number.

Optionally, the transmitting module 601 is configured to transmit thetarget resource indication information to the user equipment through aphysical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or radio resource control(RRC).

Optionally, the PDCCH or the RRC further carries one or more associatedobject index numbers, the preset associated object is associatedobject(s) corresponding to the one or more associated object indexnumbers.

Optionally, the preset associated object includes multiple associatedobjects transmitted by the network device.

Optionally, the target resource indication information includes thePRACH mask index and does not include the RO resource index, and thepreset index number is determined based on a value of a specified bit ofthe PRACH mask index and a value indicated by remaining bits of thePRACH mask index.

Optionally, when the specified bit is a most significant bit, in a casethat the most significant bit of the PRACH mask index is a first presetvalue, the preset index number is the value indicated by the remainingbits of the PRACH mask index; and in a case that the most significantbit of the PRACH mask index is a second preset value, the preset indexnumber is a value other than the value indicated by the remaining bitsof the PRACH mask index; and where the first preset value and the secondpreset value are different.

Optionally, the configured RO resources within the preset time intervalcomprise: any RO resources among all configured RO resources within thepreset time interval, or valid RO resources among all configured ROresources within the preset time interval.

According to the network device 600 provided by the embodiments of thepresent disclosure, indication of the RO resource can be achievedthrough transmitting the target resource indication information withless content to the user equipment, hence bit overhead needed forindicating an RO resource of a contention free access procedure can bereduced. In addition, the manner in which the physical random accesschannel transmission occasion (RO) resource is determined based on thecorrespondence between the value range of the target resource indicationinformation and the RO resource is flexible, thus the flexibility ofconfiguring the RO resource by the network device is improved.

The network device shown in FIG. 6 may be used to implement variousembodiments of the method for configuring the contention free randomaccess resource shown in FIG. 1 . For related parts, reference can bemade to the above method embodiments.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic structural diagram of a user equipment providedby embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 7 , the userequipment 700 includes: a receiving module 701 and a first determiningmodule 702.

The receiving module 701 is configured to receive target resourceindication information, where the target resource indication informationis used to determine a physical random access channel transmissionoccasion (RO) resource, and the target resource indication informationincludes at least one of: a physical random access channel (PRACH) maskindex or an RO resource index.

The first determining module 702 is configured to determine a target ROresource based on a value range of the target resource indicationinformation and a pre-defined mapping relationship, where thepre-defined mapping relationship includes a correspondence between thevalue range of the target resource indication information and the ROresource.

Optionally, the first determining module includes: a candidate ROresource determination sub-module, a first target RO resourcedetermination sub-module, a second target RO resource determinationsub-module, and a third target RO resource determination sub-module.

The candidate RO resource determination sub-module is configured todetermine a candidate RO resource that matches the value range of thetarget resource indication information based on the value range of thetarget resource indication information and the pre-defined mappingrelationship.

The first target RO resource determination submodule is configured to:in a case that the number of candidate RO resource is equal to one,determine the candidate RO resource as the target RO resource.

The second target RO resource determination submodule is configured to:in a case that the number of candidate RO resource is greater than one,select, based on a first preset rule, one or more RO resources from thecandidate RO resources as the target RO resource.

The third target RO resource determination sub-module is configured to:in a case that the number of candidate RO resource is equal to zero,select, based on a second preset rule, one or more RO resources fromconfigured RO resources within a preset time interval, as the target ROresource.

Optionally, the second target RO resource determination submodule isspecifically configured to:

-   -   select, from the candidate RO resources, one or more available        RO resources closest to a current time, as the target RO        resource; or,    -   select, from the candidate RO resources, multiple available RO        resources in a manner of frequency division multiplex (FDM) in a        frequency domain, as the target RO resource; or,    -   select, from the candidate RO resources, multiple available RO        resources in a manner of time division multiplex (TDM) in a time        domain, as the target RO resource.

Optionally, the third target RO resource determination submodule isspecifically configured to:

-   -   select, from the configured RO resources within the preset time        interval, one or more available RO resources closest to a        current time, as the target RO resource; or,    -   select, from the configured RO resources within the preset time        interval, multiple available RO resources in a manner of        frequency division multiplex (FDM) in a frequency domain, as the        target RO resource; or,    -   select, from the configured RO resources within the preset time        interval, multiple available RO resources in a manner of time        division multiplex (TDM) in a time domain, as the target RO        resource.

Optionally, the pre-defined mapping relationship is configured by thenetwork device for the user equipment or specified by a protocol, andthe pre-defined mapping relationship is related to an RO resource group.

Optionally, the RO resource group is obtained by grouping, based on apreset parameter, configured RO resources within a preset time interval;where the preset parameter includes one of: identifiers of the ROresources, time positions of the RO resources, frequency domainpositions of the RO resources, a type of an associated object of the ROresources, or an association group, the type of the associated objectincludes a synchronization signal block (SSB) or a channel stateinformation-reference signal (CSI-RS), and the association group is aset of RO resources needed for a complete mapping between RO resourcesand associated objects.

In a case that the preset parameter is the identifiers of the ROresources, the number of the RO resource group is equal to the number ofthe configured RO resources within the preset time interval.

Optionally, the preset time interval includes: a configuration periodfor configuring RO resources by the network device or a synchronizationperiod.

Optionally, the pre-defined mapping relationship includes one or more ofthe following relationships:

-   -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a first preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: all configured RO resources within a preset        time interval by the network device;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a second preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: an RO resource associated with a preset        associated object, in an odd-numbered RO resource group;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a third preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: an RO resource associated with a preset        associated object, in an even-numbered RO resource group;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a fourth preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a        preset associated object and has an odd index number, in an        odd-numbered RO resource group; and an RO resource that is        associated with a preset associated object and has an even index        number, in an even-numbered RO resource group;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a fifth preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: all RO resources associated with a preset        associated object, in an i^(th) subgroup of all RO resource        groups, where i is determined according to a value of the target        resource indication information, subgroups are obtained by        equally dividing all the RO resource groups in sequence, and i        is an integer greater than zero and less than or equal to the        total number of the subgroups;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a sixth preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: RO resources in a j^(th) subgroup among all        RO resources associated with a preset associated object, from        all RO resource groups, where j is determined according to a        value of the target resource indication information, subgroups        are obtained by equally dividing all the RO resources associated        with the preset associated object in sequence, and j is an        integer greater than zero and less than or equal to the total        number of the subgroups;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a seventh preset interval, the corresponding        RO resource comprises: RO resources associated with a preset        associated object, in a preset number of consecutive RO resource        groups starting from a RO resource group having a preset serial        number;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in an eighth preset interval, the corresponding        RO resource comprises: all RO resources associated with a preset        associated object, in a RO resource group having a preset serial        number, where the preset serial number is determined according        to a value of the target resource indication information;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a ninth preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a        preset associated object and has a preset index number, in all        RO resource groups;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a tenth preset interval, the corresponding RO        resource comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a        preset associated object and has a preset index number, in an        odd-number RO resource group;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in an eleventh preset interval, the corresponding        RO resource comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a        preset associated object and has a preset index number, in an        even-number RO resource group;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a twelfth preset interval, the corresponding        RO resource comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a        preset associated object and has a preset index number, in a        k^(th) subgroup of all RO resource groups, where k is determined        according to a value of the target resource indication        information, subgroups are obtained by equally dividing all        resource groups in sequence, and k is an integer greater than        zero and less than or equal to the total number of the        subgroups;    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a thirteenth preset interval, the        corresponding RO resource comprises: an RO resource that is        associated with a preset associated object and has a preset        index number, in an RO resource group having a preset serial        number, where the preset serial number is determined according        to a value of the target resource indication information; or,    -   in a case that the value range of the target resource indication        information is in a fourteenth preset interval, the        corresponding RO resource comprises: an RO resource that is        associated with a preset associated object and has a preset        index number, in a preset number of consecutive RO resource        groups starting from a RO resource group having a preset serial        number.

Optionally, the receiving module 701 is specifically configured toreceive the target resource indication information carried in a physicaldownlink control channel (PDCCH) or radio resource control (RRC).

Optionally, the PDCCH or the RRC further carries one or more associatedobject index numbers, and the user equipment 700 may further include: asecond determining module configured to determine, associated object(s)corresponding to the one or more associated object index numbers, as thepreset associated object.

Optionally, the user equipment 700 may further include: a thirddetermining module, configured to determine, multiple associated objectstransmitted by the network device, as the preset associated object.

Optionally, the target resource indication information includes thePRACH mask index and does not include the RO resource index, and theuser equipment 700 may further include: a fourth determining module,configured to determine the preset index number based on a value of aspecified bit of the PRACH mask index and a value indicated by remainingbits of the PRACH mask index.

Optionally, the fourth determining module is specifically configured to:when the specified bit is the most significant bit, in a case that themost significant bit of the PRACH mask index is a first preset value,determine the value indicated by the remaining bits of the PRACH maskindex as the preset index number; and in a case that the mostsignificant bit of the PRACH mask index is a second preset value,determine a value other than the value indicated by the remaining bitsof the PRACH mask index as the preset index number; where the firstpreset value and the second preset value are different.

Optionally, the configured RO resources within the preset time intervalcomprise: any RO resources among all RO resources configured by thenetwork device within the preset time interval, or valid RO resourcesamong all RO resources configured by the network device within thepreset time interval.

According to the user equipment 700 provided by the embodiments of thepresent disclosure, the target RO resource can be determined based onthe received target resource indication information and the pre-definedmapping relationship, hence bit overhead needed for indicating an ROresource of a contention free access procedure can be reduced. Inaddition, the manner in which the physical random access channeltransmission occasion (RO) resource is determined based on thecorrespondence between the value range of the target resource indicationinformation and the RO resource is flexible, thus the flexibility ofconfiguring the RO resource by the network device is improved.

The user equipment shown in FIG. 7 may be used to implement the variousembodiments of the method for configuring the contention free randomaccess resource shown in FIG. 5 . For related parts, reference can bemade to the above method embodiments.

Reference is made to FIG. 8 . FIG. 8 is a structural diagram of anetwork device to which embodiments of the present disclosure areapplied. The network device can implement the details of the abovemethod for configuring the contention free random access resource andachieve the same effects. As shown in FIG. 8 , the network device 800includes: a processor 801, a transceiver 802, a memory 803, a userinterface 804, and a bus interface.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the network device 800further includes: a program stored in the memory 803 and executable bythe processor 801, and the program, when being executed by the processor801, performs various process of the above method for configuring thecontention free random access resource, which can achieve the sametechnical effects. To avoid repetition, descriptions are not repeatedherein.

In FIG. 8 , the bus architecture may include any number ofinterconnected buses and bridges, and various circuits such as one ormore processors represented by the processor 801 and a memoryrepresented by the memory 803 are connected to each other. The busarchitecture may connect a variety of other circuits such as aperipheral, a voltage regulator and a power management circuit to eachother, which is well known in the art, thus no further descriptionthereof is provided herein. The bus interface is used to provide aninterface. The transceiver 802 may include multiple components, i.e., atransmitter and a receiver, which is used to provide a unit forcommunicating with other devices via a transmission medium. Fordifferent user equipments, the user interface 804 may be an interfacecapable of connecting externally or internally to a required device, andthe device which may be connected includes, but is not limited to:keypad, display, speaker, microphone, joystick and the like.

The processor 801 is responsible for managing the bus architecture andnormal operations, and the memory 803 may store data being used by theprocessor 801 during operation.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a user equipment according to anotherembodiment of the present disclosure. The user equipment 900 shown inFIG. 9 includes: at least one processor 901, a memory 902, at least onenetwork interface 904, and a user interface 903. The various componentsin the user equipment 900 are coupled together through a bus system 905.It can be understood that the bus system 905 is configured to implementconnection and communication between these components. In addition to adata bus, the bus system 905 includes a power bus, a control bus, and astate signal bus. However, for clarity, various buses are marked as thebus system 905 in FIG. 9 .

The user interface 903 may include a display, a keyboard, a clickingdevice (such as, a mouse, or a trackball), a touch pad, or a touchscreen.

It can be understood that the memory 902 in the embodiments of thepresent disclosure may be a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory, ormay include both volatile and non-volatile memories. The non-volatilememory may be a read-only memory (Read-Only Memory, ROM), a programmableread-only memory (Programmable ROM, PROM), an erasable programmableread-only memory (Erasable PROM, EPROM), or an electrically erasableprogrammable read-only memory (Electrically EPROM, EEPROM) or a flashmemory. The volatile memory may be a random access memory (Random AccessMemory, RAM) that acts as a high-speed external cache. By way of exampleand not limitation, various kinds of RAMS are available, such as astatic random access memory (Static RAM, SRAM), a dynamic random accessmemory (Dynamic RAM, DRAM), a synchronous dynamic random access memory(Synchronous DRAM, SDRAM), a double data rate synchronous dynamic randomaccess memory (Double Data Rate SDRAM, DDRSDRAM), an enhancedsynchronous dynamic random access memory (Enhanced SDRAM, ESDRAM), asynchlink dynamic random access memory (Synchlink DRAM, SDRAM) or adirect rambus random access memory (Direct Rambus RAM, DRRAM). Thememory 902 in the system and the method of the embodiments of thepresent disclosure is intended to include, without being limited to,these and any other suitable types of memories.

In some implementations, the memory 902 stores the following elements,executable modules or data structures, or a subset thereof, or anextended set thereof: operating system 9021 and application 9022.

The operating system 9021 includes various system programs such as aframework layer, a core library layer and a driving layer, forimplementing various fundamental services and processing hardware-basedtasks. The application 9022 includes various applications such as mediaplayer and browser, for implementing various application services. Aprogram for implementing the method according to the embodiments of thepresent disclosure may be included in the application 9022.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the user equipment 900further includes: a program stored in the memory 902 and executable bythe processor 901, and the program, when being executed by the processor901, performs various processes of the above method for configuring thecontention free random access resource, which can achieve the sametechnical effects. To avoid repetition, descriptions are not repeatedherein.

The methods according to the above embodiments of the present disclosuremay be applied to the processor 901 or implemented by the processor 901.The processor 901 may be an integrated circuit chip with signalprocessing capabilities. In implementation, each step of the abovemethods may be completed by an integrated logic circuit in form ofhardware in the processor 901 or instructions in form of software. Theprocessor 901 above may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signalprocessor ((Digital Signal Processor, DSP), an application specificintegrated circuit (Application Specific Integrated Circuit, ASIC), afield programmable gate array (Field Programmable Gate Array, FPGA) orany other programmable logic device, a discrete gate, a transistor logicdevice or a discrete hardware component, which can implement or carryout the methods, steps, and logical block diagrams according to theembodiments of the present disclosure. The general-purpose processor maybe a microprocessor, or the processor may be any conventional processoror the like. The steps of the methods according to the embodiments ofthe present disclosure may be directly implemented by a hardwaredecoding processor, or may be performed by a combination of hardware andsoftware modules in the decoding processor. The software module may belocated in a conventional well-developed computer readable storagemedium such as a random access memory, a flash memory, a read-onlymemory, a programmable read-only memory, an electrically erasableprogrammable memory, a register, or the like. The computer readablestorage medium is located in the memory 902, and the processor 901 readsthe information in the memory 902 and completes the steps of the abovemethods in combination with its hardware. Specifically, a program isstored in the computer readable storage medium, and when the program isexecuted by the processor, the steps of the embodiments of the methodfor configuring the contention free random access resource areimplemented.

It can be understood that the embodiments described herein may beimplemented in hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, or acombination thereof. For hardware implementation, the processing unitmay be implemented in at least one application specific integratedcircuit (Application Specific Integrated Circuits, ASIC), digital signalprocessor (Digital Signal Processing, DSP), digital signal processingdevice (DSP Device, DSPD), programmable logic device (Programmable LogicDevice, PLD), field-programmable gate array (Field-Programmable GateArray, FPGA), general purpose processor, controller, microcontroller,microprocessor, other electronic unit for performing the functionsaccording to the present disclosure or a combination thereof.

For software implementation, the technical solutions according to theembodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented by modules(e.g., processes, functions, and so on) for performing the functionsaccording to the embodiments of the present disclosure. Software codesmay be stored in a memory and executed by a processor. The memory may beimplemented in the processor or external to the processor.

Embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a computer readablestorage medium, having a program stored thereon. When the program isexecuted by a processor, various processes of the embodiments of themethod for configuring the contention free random access resourcedescribed above are implemented, which can achieve the same technicaleffects. To avoid repetition, details are not repeated herein. Thecomputer readable storage medium may be, for example, a read-only memory(Read-Only Memory, ROM), a random access memory (Random Access Memory,RAM), a magnetic disk or an optical disk, etc.

The embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a program productincluding instructions. When a computer runs the instructions of theprogram product, the computer performs the above method for configuringthe contention free random access resource. Specifically, the programproduct may run on the network device.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the units and thealgorithm steps described in conjunction with the embodiments accordingto the present disclosure may be implemented in the form of electronichardware or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware.Whether these functions are performed in hardware or in software dependson the specific application and design constraints of the technicalsolution. Those skilled in the art may use different methods toimplement the described functions for each particular application, andsuch implementations are not to be considered as departing from thescope of the present disclosure.

Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the sake ofeasiness and conciseness of description, reference can be made to thecorresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments for specificoperating processes of the systems, the devices and the units describedabove, and a repeated description thereof is omitted herein.

In some embodiments provided in the present disclosure, it should beunderstood that the disclosed devices and methods may be implemented inother ways. For example, the described embodiments directed to thedevices are merely exemplary. For example, the units are divided merelyin logical function, which may be divided in another way in actualimplementation, e.g., multiple units or components may be combined orintegrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or notperformed. In addition, the disclosed or discussed mutual coupling ordirect coupling or communication connection may be an indirect couplingor communication connection through some interfaces, devices or units,which may be implemented in electronic, mechanical or other forms.

The units described as separate components may or may not be physicallyseparated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physicalunits, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed overmultiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selectedaccording to practical needs to achieve the object of the technicalsolutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

In addition, functional units in various embodiments of the presentdisclosure may be integrated into one processing unit, or may bephysically independent, or two or more units may be integrated into oneunit.

If the function is implemented in the form of a software functionalunit, and sold or used as a standalone product, it may be stored in acomputer readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, essenceof the technical solution of the present disclosure, or the partcontributing to the related technologies, or all or part of thetechnical solution, may be embodied in the form of a software product.The computer software product is stored in a storage medium, and thesoftware product includes a number of instructions to enable a computerdevice (which may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device,etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the method described in thevarious embodiments of the present disclosure. The storage mediumincludes a USB flash disk, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory(Read-Only Memory, ROM), a random access memory (Random Access Memory,RAM), a magnetic disk, an optical disk, and other medium which can storeprogram code.

The above descriptions merely illustrate specific implementations of thepresent disclosure, and the protection scope of the present disclosureis not limited thereto. Any modification or substitution made by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the technical scope of thepresent disclosure shall fall within the protection scope of the presentdisclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of the present disclosure isdetermined by the protection scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for configuring a contention free randomaccess resource, applied to a network device, comprising: transmittingtarget resource indication information to a user equipment based on apre-defined mapping relationship; wherein the target resource indicationinformation is used to determine a physical random access channeltransmission occasion (RO) resource, the target resource indicationinformation comprises at least one of: a physical random access channel(PRACH) mask index or an RO resource index, and the pre-defined mappingrelationship comprises a correspondence between a value range of thetarget resource indication information and the RO resource, wherein thepre-defined mapping relationship comprises one or more of the followingrelationships: in a case that the value range of the target resourceindication information is in a first preset interval, the RO resourcecorresponding to the value range comprises: all configured RO resourceswithin a preset time interval; in a case that the value range of thetarget resource indication information is in a second preset interval,the RO resource corresponding to the value range comprises: an ROresource associated with a preset associated object, in an odd-numberedRO resource group; in a case that the value range of the target resourceindication information is in a third preset interval, the RO resourcecorresponding to the value range comprises: an RO resource associatedwith a preset associated object, in an even-numbered RO resource group;in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a fourth preset interval, the RO resourcecorresponding to the value range comprises: an RO resource that isassociated with a preset associated object and has an odd index number,in an odd-numbered RO resource group; and an RO resource that isassociated with a preset associated object and has an even index number,in an even-numbered RO resource group; in a case that the value range ofthe target resource indication information is in a fifth presetinterval, the RO resource corresponding to the value range comprises:all RO resources associated with a preset associated object, in ani^(th) subgroup of all RO resource groups, wherein i is determinedaccording to a value of the target resource indication information,subgroups are obtained by equally dividing all the RO resource groups,and i is an integer greater than zero and less than or equal to a totalamount of the subgroups; in a case that the value range of the targetresource indication information is in a sixth preset interval, the ROresource corresponding to the value range comprises: RO resources in aj^(th) subgroup among all RO resources associated with a presetassociated object, from all RO resource groups, wherein j is determinedaccording to a value of the target resource indication information,subgroups are obtained by equally dividing all the RO resourcesassociated with the preset associated object, and j is an integergreater than zero and less than or equal to a total amount of thesubgroups; in a case that the value range of the target resourceindication information is in a seventh preset interval, the RO resourcecorresponding to the value range comprises: RO resources associated witha preset associated object, in a preset number of consecutive ROresource groups starting from a RO resource group having a preset serialnumber; in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in an eighth preset interval, the RO resourcecorresponding to the value range comprises: all RO resources associatedwith a preset associated object, in a RO resource group having a presetserial number, wherein the preset serial number is determined accordingto a value of the target resource indication information; in a case thatthe value range of the target resource indication information is in aninth preset interval, the RO resource corresponding to the value rangecomprises: an RO resource that is associated with a preset associatedobject and has a preset index number, in all RO resource groups; in acase that the value range of the target resource indication informationis in a tenth preset interval, the RO resource corresponding to thevalue range comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has a preset index number, in an odd-number ROresource group; in a case that the value range of the target resourceindication information is in an eleventh preset interval, the ROresource corresponding to the value range comprises: an RO resource thatis associated with a preset associated object and has a preset indexnumber, in an even-number RO resource group; in a case that the valuerange of the target resource indication information is in a twelfthpreset interval, the RO resource corresponding to the value rangecomprises: an RO resource that is associated with a preset associatedobject and has a preset index number, in a k^(th) subgroup of all ROresource groups, wherein k is determined according to a value of thetarget resource indication information, subgroups are obtained byequally dividing all resource groups, and k is an integer greater thanzero and less than or equal to a total amount of the subgroups; in acase that the value range of the target resource indication informationis in a thirteenth preset interval, the RO resource corresponding to thevalue range comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has a preset index number, in an RO resource grouphaving a preset serial number, wherein the preset serial number isdetermined according to a value of the target resource indicationinformation; or, in a case that the value range of the target resourceindication information is in a fourteenth preset interval, the ROresource corresponding to the value range comprises: an RO resource thatis associated with a preset associated object and has a preset indexnumber, in a preset number of consecutive RO resource groups startingfrom a RO resource group having a preset serial number.
 2. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the pre-defined mapping relationshipcomprising the correspondence between the value range of the targetresource indication information and the RO resource means that thepre-defined mapping relationship comprises a correspondence between thevalue range of the target resource indication information and an ROresource group; the RO resource group is obtained by grouping, based ona preset parameter, configured RO resources within a preset timeinterval; the preset parameter comprises: a type of an associated objectof the RO resources or an association group, the type of the associatedobject comprises a synchronization signal block (SSB) or a channel stateinformation-reference signal (CSI-RS), and the association group isformed by RO resources needed for achieving a mapping between ROresources and associated objects.
 3. The method according to claim 1,wherein the pre-defined mapping relationship is predetermined by thenetwork device or specified by a protocol, and the pre-defined mappingrelationship is related to an RO resource group; wherein the RO resourcegroup is obtained by grouping, based on a preset parameter, configuredRO resources within a preset time interval; wherein the preset parametercomprises one of: identifiers of the RO resources, time positions of theRO resources, frequency domain positions of the RO resources, a type ofan associated object of the RO resources, or an association group, thetype of the associated object comprises a synchronization signal block(SSB) or a channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS), and theassociation group is a set of RO resources needed for a complete mappingbetween RO resources and associated objects; and in a case that thepreset parameter is the identifiers of the RO resources, the number ofthe RO resource group is equal to the number of the configured ROresources within the preset time interval.
 4. The method according toclaim 3, wherein the preset time interval comprises: a configurationperiod for configuring RO resources by the network device or asynchronization period.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein thetransmitting target resource indication information to the userequipment comprises: transmitting the target resource indicationinformation to the user equipment through a physical downlink controlchannel (PDCCH) or radio resource control (RRC) signaling.
 6. The methodaccording to claim 5, wherein the PDCCH or the RRC signaling furthercarries one or more associated object index numbers, and wherein thepreset associated object is associated object(s) corresponding to theone or more associated object index numbers.
 7. The method according toclaim 5, wherein the preset associated object comprises a plurality ofassociated objects transmitted by the network device.
 8. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the target resource indication informationcomprises the PRACH mask index and does not comprise the RO resourceindex, and the preset index number is determined based on a value of aspecified bit of the PRACH mask index and a value indicated by remainingbits of the PRACH mask index.
 9. The method according to claim 8,wherein the specified bit is a most significant bit, in a case that themost significant bit of the PRACH mask index is a first preset value,the preset index number is the value indicated by the remaining bits ofthe PRACH mask index; and in a case that the most significant bit of thePRACH mask index is a second preset value, the preset index number is avalue other than the value indicated by the remaining bits of the PRACHmask index; and wherein the first preset value and the second presetvalue are different.
 10. The method according to claim 4, wherein theconfigured RO resources within the preset time interval comprise: any ROresources among all configured RO resources within the preset timeinterval, or valid RO resources among all configured RO resources withinthe preset time interval.
 11. A network device, comprising a memory, aprocessor, and a program stored in the memory and executable by theprocessor, wherein the program, when being executed by the processor,performs the following steps: transmitting target resource indicationinformation to a user equipment based on a pre-defined mappingrelationship; wherein the target resource indication information is usedto determine a physical random access channel transmission occasion (RO)resource, the target resource indication information comprises at leastone of: a physical random access channel (PRACH) mask index or an ROresource index, and the pre-defined mapping relationship comprises acorrespondence between a value range of the target resource indicationinformation and the RO resource, wherein the pre-defined mappingrelationship comprises one or more of the following relationships: in acase that the value range of the target resource indication informationis in a first preset interval, the RO resource corresponding to thevalue range comprises: all configured RO resources within a preset timeinterval; in a case that the value range of the target resourceindication information is in a second preset interval, the RO resourcecorresponding to the value range comprises: an RO resource associatedwith a preset associated object, in an odd-numbered RO resource group;in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a third preset interval, the RO resource correspondingto the value range comprises: an RO resource associated with a presetassociated object, in an even-numbered RO resource group; in a case thatthe value range of the target resource indication information is in afourth preset interval, the RO resource corresponding to the value rangecomprises: an RO resource that is associated with a preset associatedobject and has an odd index number, in an odd-numbered RO resourcegroup; and an RO resource that is associated with a preset associatedobject and has an even index number, in an even-numbered RO resourcegroup; in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a fifth preset interval, the RO resource correspondingto the value range comprises: all RO resources associated with a presetassociated object, in an i^(th) subgroup of all RO resource groups,wherein i is determined according to a value of the target resourceindication information, subgroups are obtained by equally dividing allthe RO resource groups, and i is an integer greater than zero and lessthan or equal to a total amount of the subgroups; in a case that thevalue range of the target resource indication information is in a sixthpreset interval, the RO resource corresponding to the value rangecomprises: RO resources in a j^(th) subgroup among all RO resourcesassociated with a preset associated object, from all RO resource groups,wherein j is determined according to a value of the target resourceindication information, subgroups are obtained by equally dividing allthe RO resources associated with the preset associated object, and j isan integer greater than zero and less than or equal to a total amount ofthe subgroups; in a case that the value range of the target resourceindication information is in a seventh preset interval, the RO resourcecorresponding to the value range comprises: RO resources associated witha preset associated object, in a preset number of consecutive ROresource groups starting from a RO resource group having a preset serialnumber; in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in an eighth preset interval, the RO resourcecorresponding to the value range comprises: all RO resources associatedwith a preset associated object, in a RO resource group having a presetserial number, wherein the preset serial number is determined accordingto a value of the target resource indication information; in a case thatthe value range of the target resource indication information is in aninth preset interval, the RO resource corresponding to the value rangecomprises: an RO resource that is associated with a preset associatedobject and has a preset index number, in all RO resource groups; in acase that the value range of the target resource indication informationis in a tenth preset interval, the RO resource corresponding to thevalue range comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has a preset index number, in an odd-number ROresource group; in a case that the value range of the target resourceindication information is in an eleventh preset interval, the ROresource corresponding to the value range comprises: an RO resource thatis associated with a preset associated object and has a preset indexnumber, in an even-number RO resource group; in a case that the valuerange of the target resource indication information is in a twelfthpreset interval, the RO resource corresponding to the value rangecomprises: an RO resource that is associated with a preset associatedobject and has a preset index number, in a k^(th) subgroup of all ROresource groups, wherein k is determined according to a value of thetarget resource indication information, subgroups are obtained byequally dividing all resource groups, and k is an integer greater thanzero and less than or equal to a total amount of the subgroups; in acase that the value range of the target resource indication informationis in a thirteenth preset interval, the RO resource corresponding to thevalue range comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has a preset index number, in an RO resource grouphaving a preset serial number, wherein the preset serial number isdetermined according to a value of the target resource indicationinformation; or, in a case that the value range of the target resourceindication information is in a fourteenth preset interval, the ROresource corresponding to the value range comprises: an RO resource thatis associated with a preset associated object and has a preset indexnumber, in a preset number of consecutive RO resource groups startingfrom a RO resource group having a preset serial number.
 12. The networkdevice according to claim 11, wherein the pre-defined mappingrelationship comprising the correspondence between the value range ofthe target resource indication information and the RO resource meansthat the pre-defined mapping relationship comprises a correspondencebetween the value range of the target resource indication informationand an RO resource group; the RO resource group is obtained by grouping,based on a preset parameter, configured RO resources within a presettime interval; the preset parameter comprises: a type of an associatedobject of the RO resources or an association group, the type of theassociated object comprises a synchronization signal block (SSB) or achannel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS), and the associationgroup is formed by RO resources needed for achieving a mapping betweenRO resources and associated objects.
 13. The network device according toclaim 11, wherein the pre-defined mapping relationship is predeterminedby the network device or specified by a protocol, and the pre-definedmapping relationship is related to an RO resource group; wherein the ROresource group is obtained by grouping, based on a preset parameter,configured RO resources within a preset time interval; wherein thepreset parameter comprises one of: identifiers of the RO resources, timepositions of the RO resources, frequency domain positions of the ROresources, a type of an associated object of the RO resources, or anassociation group, the type of the associated object comprises asynchronization signal block (SSB) or a channel stateinformation-reference signal (CSI-RS), and the association group is aset of RO resources needed for a complete mapping between RO resourcesand associated objects; and in a case that the preset parameter is theidentifiers of the RO resources, the number of the RO resource group isequal to the number of the configured RO resources within the presettime interval.
 14. The network device according to claim 13, wherein thepreset time interval comprises: a configuration period for configuringRO resources by the network device or a synchronization period.
 15. Thenetwork device according to claim 11, wherein the transmitting targetresource indication information to the user equipment comprises:transmitting the target resource indication information to the userequipment through a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or radioresource control (RRC) signaling.
 16. The network device according toclaim 15, wherein the PDCCH or the RRC signaling further carries one ormore associated object index numbers, and wherein the preset associatedobject is associated object(s) corresponding to the one or moreassociated object index numbers.
 17. The network device according toclaim 15, wherein the preset associated object comprises a plurality ofassociated objects transmitted by the network device.
 18. Anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores a program, andthe program, when being executed by a processor, causes the processor toimplement the following steps: transmitting target resource indicationinformation to a user equipment based on a pre-defined mappingrelationship; wherein the target resource indication information is usedto determine a physical random access channel transmission occasion (RO)resource, the target resource indication information comprises at leastone of: a physical random access channel (PRACH) mask index or an ROresource index, and the pre-defined mapping relationship comprises acorrespondence between a value range of the target resource indicationinformation and the RO resource, wherein the pre-defined mappingrelationship comprises one or more of the following relationships: in acase that the value range of the target resource indication informationis in a first preset interval, the RO resource corresponding to thevalue range comprises: all configured RO resources within a preset timeinterval; in a case that the value range of the target resourceindication information is in a second preset interval, the RO resourcecorresponding to the value range comprises: an RO resource associatedwith a preset associated object, in an odd-numbered RO resource group;in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a third preset interval, the RO resource correspondingto the value range comprises: an RO resource associated with a presetassociated object, in an even-numbered RO resource group; in a case thatthe value range of the target resource indication information is in afourth preset interval, the RO resource corresponding to the value rangecomprises: an RO resource that is associated with a preset associatedobject and has an odd index number, in an odd-numbered RO resourcegroup; and an RO resource that is associated with a preset associatedobject and has an even index number, in an even-numbered RO resourcegroup; in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in a fifth preset interval, the RO resource correspondingto the value range comprises: all RO resources associated with a presetassociated object, in an i^(th) subgroup of all RO resource groups,wherein i is determined according to a value of the target resourceindication information, subgroups are obtained by equally dividing allthe RO resource groups, and i is an integer greater than zero and lessthan or equal to a total amount of the subgroups; in a case that thevalue range of the target resource indication information is in a sixthpreset interval, the RO resource corresponding to the value rangecomprises: RO resources in a j^(th) subgroup among all RO resourcesassociated with a preset associated object, from all RO resource groups,wherein j is determined according to a value of the target resourceindication information, subgroups are obtained by equally dividing allthe RO resources associated with the preset associated object, and j isan integer greater than zero and less than or equal to a total amount ofthe subgroups; in a case that the value range of the target resourceindication information is in a seventh preset interval, the RO resourcecorresponding to the value range comprises: RO resources associated witha preset associated object, in a preset number of consecutive ROresource groups starting from a RO resource group having a preset serialnumber; in a case that the value range of the target resource indicationinformation is in an eighth preset interval, the RO resourcecorresponding to the value range comprises: all RO resources associatedwith a preset associated object, in a RO resource group having a presetserial number, wherein the preset serial number is determined accordingto a value of the target resource indication information; in a case thatthe value range of the target resource indication information is in aninth preset interval, the RO resource corresponding to the value rangecomprises: an RO resource that is associated with a preset associatedobject and has a preset index number, in all RO resource groups; in acase that the value range of the target resource indication informationis in a tenth preset interval, the RO resource corresponding to thevalue range comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has a preset index number, in an odd-number ROresource group; in a case that the value range of the target resourceindication information is in an eleventh preset interval, the ROresource corresponding to the value range comprises: an RO resource thatis associated with a preset associated object and has a preset indexnumber, in an even-number RO resource group; in a case that the valuerange of the target resource indication information is in a twelfthpreset interval, the RO resource corresponding to the value rangecomprises: an RO resource that is associated with a preset associatedobject and has a preset index number, in a k^(th) subgroup of all ROresource groups, wherein k is determined according to a value of thetarget resource indication information, subgroups are obtained byequally dividing all resource groups, and k is an integer greater thanzero and less than or equal to a total amount of the subgroups; in acase that the value range of the target resource indication informationis in a thirteenth preset interval, the RO resource corresponding to thevalue range comprises: an RO resource that is associated with a presetassociated object and has a preset index number, in an RO resource grouphaving a preset serial number, wherein the preset serial number isdetermined according to a value of the target resource indicationinformation; or, in a case that the value range of the target resourceindication information is in a fourteenth preset interval, the ROresource corresponding to the value range comprises: an RO resource thatis associated with a preset associated object and has a preset indexnumber, in a preset number of consecutive RO resource groups startingfrom a RO resource group having a preset serial number.